Self-closing bottle-stopper.



' APPLICATION FILED )(411.114, 1903.

No MODEL.

MII I.

WITNESEES- @mi @UQ/M @m Ma? ivo. 745,191.

UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1902;.

PATENT OFFICE.

SELF-CLOSING BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,191, dated November24, 1903. A

Application iiled March 14, 1903. Serial No. 147,845. (No model.)

1o self-closing stopper of simple construction which is especiallyadapted for use with bottles containing liquors and other thin liquidswhich are in frequent use and which will permit of the free outpour ofthe liquid from the bottle and will effectually exclude dust and preventthe entrance of iies and otherinsects.

To this end my invention consists in a bottlc-stopper comprising ahollow body or stem encircled by an elastic sleeve or facing and 2osurrounded by a flange adapted to rest on the upper end of the neck ofthe bottle, a nozzle above said flange closed at its upper end andprovided at or near its base with one or more discharge openings locatedimmediately z 5 above said liange, and a loose cylindrical valveslidably arranged within saidnozzle and adapted to normally close theoutlet therefrom and to automatically uncover the same when the bottleis inverted, as hereinafter more 3o fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section through theneck of an ordinary bottle having my self-closing stopper appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the bottle tipped to pourout the liquid therefrom. Fig. 3 is'a top view of the stopper.

In the said drawings, A represents the body or stem of the stopper,which is composed of 4o glass or other suitable material. `This stem,

which is hollow and open at its bottom, is encircled by a sleeve orfacing a, of cork or other elastic substance, which closely lits withinthe neck of the bottle B, as shown. The upper end of the stem issurrounded by an integralflange b, which rests on the top'of the neck ofthe bottle, and above this iange is formed a cylindrical nozzle c, whichis closed at its upper end 10 and forms an extension or 5o continuationof the tubular stem A, being made integral therewith. At the bottom orbase of the nozzle, on opposite sides of the same and directly above theiiange b, are formed two outlet-openings cl d for the discharge of theliquid contents of the bottle.v I

cylindrical valvef, com posed, preferably, of a short sleeve or piece oftubing open at both ends and free to slide up and down within saidnozzle, its movement being limited in one direction by contact with theclosed outer end l0 of the nozzle and in the opposite direction bycontact with a suitable stop g, projecting from the :interior of thestem A beneath the ange b. The length of the cylindrical valve f mustnot exceed the distance between the upper ends of the openings d and theouter closed end of the nozzle c, and the stop g must be so located asto check and retain the valve in a position to completely cover saidopenings. When the bottle is in an upright position, as shown in Fig. l,the valve f rests on the stop g and normally covers the openings d d andcloses the outlet from the bottle, at the same time excluding dust anddirt and preventing the entrance of flies and other insects. On tippingup the bottle the valve f by its own gravity will slide down into theouter portion of the nozzle c, as shown in Fig. 2, thus uncovering theopenings cZ' d, from which the liquid will then freely flow out. By theemployment of a hollow cylindrical valve open at both ends,

as shown, the liquid which runs to the outer closed end of the nozzle cwhen the bottle is tipped up is free to flow back into the bottle whenthe latter is returned to its normal upright position, thus preventingany liquid from remaining in the outer end of the nozzle, which if asolid valve were used would be liable to collect at this point andpreventl the valve from moving sufficiently to uncover the openings atthe base of the nozzle when the bottle was tipped up.

The above-described self-closing stopper, which may be made entirely ofglass with the exception of the cork facing around the stem, isexceedingly simple, easily kept clean, and is free from liability to getout of order, thus ICO practically adapting it for liquor and otherbottles in frequent use in place of the removable metal cap which hasheretofore been commonly used with bottles of this description.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A self-closing bottle-stopper comprising a hollow body or steinadapted to fit within the neck of a bottle,a nozzle forming a straightcontinuation of said hollow stem and having its upper end closed andprovided at or near its base with one or more outlet-openings, and aloose cylindrical valve slidably arranged within said nozzle, andadapted to normally close the outlet therefrom, and to automaticallyuncover the same when the bottle is inverted.

2. A self-closing bottle-stopper comprising a hollow body erstemencircled by an elastic sleeve or facing and surrounded by a flangeadapted to rest on the upper end of the neck of the bottle, a nozzleabove said flange closed at its upper end and provided at or near itsbase with one or more outlet-openings located immediately above saidange, and a loose cylindrical valve slidably arranged within said nozzleand adapted to normally close the outlet therefrom and to automat--ically uncover the same when the bottle is inby a flange adapted torest upon the upper 35 end of the neck of the bottle, a nozzle abovesaid flange closed atits upper end and provided at or near its base withone or more outlet-openings located immediately above said flange, aloose gravity-valve consisting of a short tube open at both ends andslidably arranged within said nozzle and adapted to normally close theoutlet therefrom and to automatically uncover the same when the bottleis inverted, and a stop forlimiting the downward movement of said valve.

Witness my hand this 9th day of March, A. D. 1903.

FREDERICK W. JOHNSON. In presence of- P. E. TEscHEMAoHER, F. B.SPAULDING.

